‘Based on necessity’: BCB president defends appointment of three advisors

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul has defended the appointment of three advisors amid criticism and questions over whether the move complies with the BCB constitution.

On Thursday, the BCB announced the nomination of Shakawath Hossain, Syed Abid Sami, and Shyikh Mahadi as members of the President's Advisory Committee.

Shakawath, a hospitality industry professional, has been named Cricket Tourism Advisor; sports media analyst Sami is the Cricket Advisor; and legal expert Barrister Mahadi will serve as Legal Advisor.

The move has drawn criticism, especially on social media, as none of the three advisors are cricketers or cricket organisers—despite the BCB constitution stipulating that advisors must be selected from among the country's renowned cricketers or eminent cricket organisers.

Clause 18 of Chapter Four of the BCB constitution allows the president to appoint up to five advisors. These advisors may be invited to board meetings but will not have voting rights. They can also be included in standing committees at the president's discretion.

In response to the controversy, Aminul told Prothom Alo: "We'll try to adjust this. Earlier too, advisors were appointed in the same way—based on necessity."

Explaining the rationale behind the appointments, he added: "I'm a cricket person. There are many legal matters now, and I don't want to make any mistakes. Cricket is no longer just a game—it brings in foreign currency and creates jobs. Countries like Australia and South Africa invest heavily in cricket tourism. We are lagging there. That's why we've brought in a tourism advisor."

Meanwhile, during the tenure of former BCB president Faruque Ahmed, there was no formal advisory committee.